Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying held a press conference on October 28, 2013.

Q: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal and during a review of the Ground Self-Defence Force that Japan would not tolerate China's attempt to change the status quo by force. If China opts for that path, it would not rise peacefully. He also said that Japan should play a leading role in the economic and security fields of the Asia Pacific to counter China. There are also reports saying that Japan has scrambled fighter jets after China's military planes. What is China's comment?

A: The spokesperson of the Ministry of National Defence has made clear China's position on relevant issue. I want to reiterate that the normal trainings and flyovers of Chinese military planes in relevant waters of the East China Sea are in compliance with the international law and international practices. There is no need for relevant party to make a fuss.

We have noted reports on Japanese leaders' remarks concerning China. Japanese leaders' repeated provocative remarks against China show once again that the Japanese politicians are deceiving themselves with arrogance and guilty conscience. China's position on the issue of the Diaoyu Islands is clear-cut and consistent. The Diaoyu Island and its affiliated islands have been an integral part of China's territory since ancient times and were stolen by Japan in modern times. The two sides, when normalizing bilateral ties, agreed to leave the issue of the Diaoyu Islands to be resolved later. This important consensus serves as a crucial foundation for the normal development of China-Japan relations over the past 40 years and more. Japan's unilateral actions over the Diaoyu Islands have been illegal and invalid since day one. China has never accepted and is firmly opposed to that. It is Japan itself, rather than others, that changed the status quo of the Diaoyu Islands. Japan should reflect earnestly on what it has done, desist from all provocative words and deeds, show sincerity and take concrete actions to properly manage and solve problems and safeguard regional peace and stability.

I want to underline that China is committed to peaceful development. It is a strategic choice made by China in conformity with the trend of the times and the fundamental interests of the country. We will renew our efforts to uphold overall peace and stability in the neighborhood, stay committed to solving relevant issues through dialogue and consultation and resolutely safeguard territorial sovereignty as well as maritime rights and interests.

Q: A statement released by the OPCW on October 27 said that the Syrian government submitted on October 24 a declaration of its chemical weapons programme and a plan to eliminate them, providing the basis on which plans could be devised for a systematic, total and verified destruction. What is China's comment?

A: In accordance with the Chemical Weapons Convention, the Syrian government submitted the formal initial declaration covering its chemical weapons programme and a plan to eliminate them within the time frame set by the decision of the OPCW Executive Council. It is a step forward for the resolution of the issue of chemical weapons in Syria. China welcomes that.

China supports the positive role by the OPCW in the verification and destruction of chemical weapons in Syria. We will continue to take an active part in the OPCW's efforts to verify and eliminate chemical weapons in Syria as well as relevant discussions at the Executive Council, so as to ensure the implementation of the Executive Council's decision.

Q: It is reported that the UN Human Rights Council adopted the report on China on October 25. Please confirm and give us more details.

A: The UPR Working group of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) adopted on October 25 the report on China. The report is a positive, objective and balanced representation of the UNHRC's review on China. By the end of the review, representatives of many countries congratulated China.

Q: US National Security Agency acknowledged that it had tapped the phones of 35 world leaders, and it will review its spying operations. What's China's comment?

A: The eighth Internet Governance Forum was held in Bali, Indonesia from October 22 to 25. There is a general concern and dissatisfaction at the meeting about the issue you mentioned. It is believed that this action violates other countries' sovereignty, infringes upon individuals' privacy and delivers a blow to the public's confidence in and trust of the Internet. We think what has been reflected by the Internet Governance Forum deserves attention, demonstrates once again that cyber security is the common security concern of all countries and underlines the need for the international community to take active actions within the framework of the UN to develop a code of conduct in the cyberspace at an early date so as to jointly safeguard peace, security, openness and cooperation in the cyberspace.